As a member of the Teton Area 10×10 Initiative we have made a pledge to reduce our emissions by 10% by 2010. We support the Teton Area 10x10 Initiative in their efforts to help Teton County residents in use resource efficiently. The Teton Area 10x10 Initiative also produces and provides educational materials to make it easier and more acceptable for Tetons-area residents, visitors, businesses, non-profits, and governmental agencies to use resources in an increasingly efficient fashion. To learn more about Teton Area 10x10 Initiatives visit their website at http://tetonarea10x10.org/
The following are 10 steps individuals (and businesses) can take to achieve 10×10:
- Commit to reduce your household's energy use by 10% by December 31, 2010.
- Gather baseline data: tally your annual use and the money you spend on electricity, heating fuel, vehicle travel (miles) and air travel (miles and number of trips).
- Explore carbon calculators: the EPA's doesn't consider air travel, but has a great interactive section that show the impacts certain changes can have; and Climate Crisis provides a good all-round snapshot of your carbon footprint. The Zero JH calculator even takes recreational activities into consideration, and purchase of their green tags fund educational solar installations on our local schools.
- Have Lower Valley Energy perform an energy audit.
- Follow through on the audit and take advantage of Lower Valley's incentives and rebates.
- Have Lower Valley Energy perform a lighting audit and install compact fluorescent lightbulbs.
- Assess your commuting and travel habits. Consider telecommuting one day/week (20% reduction in travel to work), combine trips, extend one international trip to eliminate a second.
- Buy alternative fuels.
- Ride the START Bus, bike, walk or carpool.
- Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
- Buy Green Power.
- Buy carbon offsets.
- Reduce water use.
- Compost.
